Rent
by SnowFalls3
Summary: Emma moved in Mary Margaret's apartment, but she doesn't understand the situation. Basically this story is about her wanting to pay rent to her friend for letting her say with her. You have three guesses what Mary Margaret says to that...


Emma dropped a yellow envelope in front of Mary Margaret who looked up, surprised, from her cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon. It's been more than a week that the strangely familiar girl lived with her. She was nervous, because she never really had a flatmate before and she didn't want to disappoint Emma. She offered her to do all the housework, buy the groceries and serve breakfast and dinner every day. She wanted her to feel comfortable there. Maybe it was a bit too much, she could see her roommate feeling the opposite. She felt that way too, because she didn't know what to expect from her. Was she a guest? No, she lived here, it was her home, too – and she needed her to feel that too. But then, who was she?

Now she saw the same look on Emma's face she had seen when she stared at herself in the mirror asking those questions. She smiled, though her confused look mixed with it. After a few moments she realized, that Emma dropped something in front of her. Still smiling, she opened the envelope.

Her smile slowly faded away as she pulled a bigger amount of cash out of it. Now, she looked really confused and looked up, curiously at her friend.

"Does this mean that I'm fired and have to look for another job? Is this my last payment?"

She tried to laugh a little, but the other stayed still and nervous.

"Emma… What is this?"

The other one blushed and stared at her feet as she spoke.

"Rent."

Mary Margaret waited patiently for some kind of explanation. Because this word wasn't it. Rent. For what? Why would she pay her rent? But Emma didn't speak a word, so Mary Margaret put back all the money and dropped it back on the table – closer to Emma.

"Rent… for what exactly?"

Emma looked up, still blushing. Mary Margaret knew her face wasn't exactly comforting at the moment, but she felt hurt somehow that Emma would think she expects something like… that.

"For… letting me stay here, I guess."

She saw that her roommate is about to protest, so Emma lifted her hand and said quickly:

"No, no, no, let me explain. Please! I need this. I really do."

"Need… what? To pay me money?! Emma, you're _home_ here. You don't own me anything for letting you stay here, trust me! I didn't ask you to come here to get extra money! Why would you think that?"

"No, you don't understand...!"

Emma looked desperate as she searched for words. Mary Margaret's angry expression didn't make it any easier for her to find them. Out of frustration she pulled out the empty chair and dropped herself on it.

"Look…" She started slowly and then the words came rushing out of her. Mary Margaret wasn't sure Emma wanted her to know that much, but she finally opened up to her. "This is all new for me. Living with someone who's so… _kind_. That she doesn't need or want anything in return. And it frustrates me. You kindness, your selfless – I haven't met anyone in my life who didn't seem to have an ulterior motive and was determine to be kind. And I really am glad that I can call you my friend. You made me feel at home, which I thought was impossible. Please, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, believe me! But now, that I've found my true north again, I feel like I don't know where we are anymore…. Do you know what I mean?

She looked at Mary Margaret , but her friends didn't answer because she thought Emma wanted to continue. Emma let out a sound of frustration and looked around.

"What I am doing here? Am I a guest? No, I live here. You said it – I'm home. Am I your friend? Yes, but that's not _why_ I'm here. Then what…? I am your flatmate, right? Then, I suppose," she took a deep breath "I should pay you my share of the rent and the groceries. I know how that works. _This_," she looked around again as if seeing something touchable" I can't handle. And your hospitality just makes it even worse… I don't know how to react to that!"

She looked so desperate that Mary Margaret had to force herself not to smile. Emma seemed so confused, so lost, and she couldn't handle the situation. Of course, she couldn't. Her walls wouldn't let her. Mary Margaret noted to herself that she has to talk about that with her once. Once they're more… close. She still had this weird feeling of Emma being more than just her flatmate. Like, it was Mary Margaret's job to do protect her. She felt like they shared a secret connection. Maybe it was their friendship… or not… But seeing her this vulnerable, she wanted to protect her. And, she realized with sadness, Emma really needed protection.

The desperation she saw in Emma's eyes reassured her that in this situation her own questions are out of discussion. Mary Margaret knew she'd have to face them and answer them eventually, but alone and not while her friend needed help.

She grabbed Emma's hand on the table and smiled. She could she in the other's eyes the fear disappearing.

"I understand, believe me. But I cannot and will not accept the money, I'm sorry. You are home, and I won't let you pay for that."

A sad smile appeared on Emma's face. She knew Mary Margaret would say that.

"But! If you feel uncomfortable me doing all the housework – be my guest! Breakfast at 7pm, you do it. You have to clean the house once a week. It's not exactly half of the housework, but it's a start. Deal?"

The smile, now full of gratefulness widened on Emma's face as she whispered.

"Thank you."

Mary Margaret tightened the grip on their hands and could see how relaxed had Emma become. She never had a home, a place, a person… nothing like this. Mary Margaret'd become comfortable as well. Seeing her friend making peace with her difficult situation made her realize how easy it was to answer all her questions. That she didn't even needed to ask them in the first place.

After this rather long period of them holding hands, they let got of each other, but none of them looked confused or nervous anymore. They knew exactly what Emma's place was, but none of them really understood it or dared to think about it. None of them said it out loud. It wasn't needed. They became family. They just knew.

And none of them ever, ever questioned that again.


End file.
